White Roses
by JazzGirl123
Summary: The world was a kingdom and Easter proudly claimed the throne. Nobody dared to rise against the king, especially with its secret weapon: a ruthless assassin with a heart of steel. There was only one who had the power to do so though and the assassin was assigned his next target, who is like nobody else he had ever faced before. Does he stand a chance or will Easter finally fall?
1. Chapter 1

…

_**DATE: SATURDAY APRIL 26, 2014 **_

_**TIME: 2300 **_

_**LOCATION: UNKNOWN**_

_**TARGET: SABACHI HIRITO**_

…

There was a promising young man by the name of Sabachi Hirito. He was the ideal husband for many women-and men, if the rumors were true.

He was young and ripe at the age of twenty-four, was almost certainly guaranteed to land his dream job and become the successor of the recently deceased president of the big shot CEO Company he worked for.

His sandy blonde hair and dark brown eyes of endless chocolate combined with his cockiness born from being raised in a wealthy family made him even more irresistible to all around him. His smooth talking and charismatic personality, along a few bribes thrown out here and there, never failed to give him an advantage.

All in all, he was powerful-untouchable. And that was what made him dangerous.

It made him dangerous to every other company in the area, and they stood no chance against somebody like him sitting on the throne. And there was no doubt he would enjoy crushing all of them one by one with a false smile on his flawless face as he fed the public lies.

However, there was one company that had no threats and only saw people like Sabachi as pawns in a chess game. And yet…it was better to be safe than sorry.

Easter played dirty; everybody knew that and yet they had no proof whatsoever. They had no proof to link the number one international company to all of the mysterious disappearances from all of their would-be competitors. Their hands were always clean.

For the head of the company, a wicked old man by the name of Kazuomi, never bothered to do the dirty work himself. He had someone else do it, obviously. Who, people ask?

Why, none other than the world's greatest assassin-Tsukiyomi Ikuto.

What made this boy so special, greater than all of the other professionals in the business?

A man like Sabachi was dangerous and yet Tsukiyomi Ikuto was nearly a carbon copy, at first glance at least.

Raised by a rich heiress and a famous musician, Tsukiyomi Ikuto grew to be a charming but sly young man. He was smooth with his words that were like sugar and honey with his deep blue hair and mesmerizing sapphire eyes. At the mere age seventeen, he was desired by women of all ages.

Yet how did such a promising young man fall into his current career? It was quite simple if one knew his tragic back-story.

Seventeen years before, a young heiress who was known by the name of Hoshina Souko went against her family's wishes and married her one true love, a very talented violinist named Tsukiyomi Aruto. Together, they had a son and agreed to manage the company her family left for her.

However, working in that environment did not suit him whatsoever and he left. Ikuto was barely two. She was not discouraged nor was she heartbroken. She listened as her family boasted about how right they were about a sketchy man like Aruto. She remained silent as they gave her a new husband who gladly took on her last name to become the head of the company.

At age seven, however, Ikuto's father returned and Souko was overcome with joy. She planned to run away with her true family-just her and her two boys. Hoshina Kazuomi was less than pleased when he found out about her plan and seethed with rage at the thought of losing everything. Without Souko at his side, her family would have no use for him and he would drop like a fly.

Though there was no proof, there were rumors of Kazuomi sabotaging their plans by drugging the couple and sending them on an auto-piloted plane that was rigged with a bomb all while spending the day with his "precious" stepson-the key to his plans.

The boy, barely eight now, was left with the old man and was immediately sent to various schools to achieve becoming the legend he eventually became. With natural cat-like agility, good looks, and charming words that he had all inherited from his father, he learned quickly and killed his first target at age eleven.

The first three times led to violent puking and endless tears. By the fourth one, nearly a year after his parents' deaths, he learned it was better to block out all of his emotions-especially if he was on a mission.

Speaking of which, the young man in question strode into his father's office and handed him a crisp white envelope. A cold smile crossed the man's face as he took it and opened it.

His greedy eyes skimmed over the letter's contents and each line caused his smile to become larger and larger. Finally, he put it down and gave his stepson an approving look.

"Excellent work, Ikuto," rumbled Kazuomi. "I see you've made tremendous progress over the years. It was a pain, you know, to clean up the mess you carelessly left behind the first few times."

Ikuto remained silent, waiting for the old man to continue.

"Ah, waiting for the story, are you?" Kazuomi let out a harsh bark. "Those always amuse you, don't they? Fine, I'll tell you. Sabachi is the ideal politician-very easy to manipulate despite being a near master manipulator himself. He was to become the president of a rival of ours, a name that is irrelevant, and I knew that they actually had a chance to take us down if that happened. The simple answer was to just kill him and have one of our spies there take his place."

Kazuomi leaned forward on his desk, a smirk crossing his wrinkled lips as he continued, almost smugly, "It's simple business, Ikuto. Oh, and don't worry. He had no friends and no family left if he ever had any. The suicide letter you made him write…I assume it was left near his body?"

Ikuto gave him a blank stare; the answer was obvious, but he was obligated to answer any questions. "Yes."

"And the body positioned to make it look like a suicide?"

"Yes."

"And this last will and testament was 'found' in our mailbox shortly after his death was announced?"

"Yes."

Kazuomi sat back, satisfaction plastered on his face. "Well, it's not a failure so far; let's see if it remains that way. I have no current assignments for you now." He glanced at the clock. "Be prepared for one in the morning, however. Go clean up and dispose of any evidence you have on you."

Ikuto turned on his heel and left the room. He had always had the strong urge to shower and rid himself of the invisible grime on him after a mission. It beat puking in a bucket, at least.

…

_**DATE: SUNDAY APRIL 27, 2014**_

_**TIME: 900**_

_**LOCATION: EASTER HEADQUARTERS-BOSS'S OFFICE**_

"Here's your next assignment," said Kazuomi, not bothering to greet his stepson as he entered the gray office.

Ikuto picked up the bulky, yellow envelope and raised an eyebrow. No assignment had contained this much information. It was always the general info. He looked up and used his people-reading skills to examine his stepfather. The day before, the old man had been smug and cocky as ever. Today, only people who knew him well enough or was a legendary people-reader would be able to tell how nervous the man was. Something had shaken the old man and that was a very rare feat. Ikuto wasn't sure he should be concerned or amused. He chose the latter.

"I want you to read all of that by the next hour," continued Kazuomi. "I will tell you the details when you return exactly in sixty minutes."

Ikuto couldn't help his next comment. "Details? What else could you tell me that isn't in this thing? It might as well be an autobiography about the target."

"Watch your tongue," warned his stepfather. "And this situation is far more complex. It requires all of the knowledge that can be obtained."

"Well, I'm not a fan of reading," quipped the blue-haired teenager, seating himself in the chair across from the old man's desk. "So why don't we imagine the target already dead and we get to the point where you tell me the facts?"

Kazuomi glared at him but merely nodded. "Very well, boy." He sighed and stood up, hands behind his back as he stared out at the early morning sky through his glass wall.

"As you are aware, Easter is notoriously known as the most powerful corporation the world. Only the best of the best can work here-and only the best that are loyal to me alone. There was never a single question about our power. I admit the path to success was not clean, but it is impossible to survive this world without getting our hands dirty. It was always amusing-and still is-to see people attempt to remain pure only to be stepped on."

"People were aware of that and were correct in their assumptions that this company was guilty of foul play but, of course, they could never find evidence of it. The last decade was quite successful and I had hoped to die a very wealthy man. However, that plan became doubtful shortly after Sabachi was announced dead this morning."

Ikuto, if he showed any emotion, would have looked offended just then. His work was revolting, but he executed it perfectly. Never was it connected back to him or Easter, he made sure.

Kazuomi sensed his stepson's disgust and smirked slightly before turning back to the teenager. "As I am sure you remember, the plan for Sabachi was for him to be declared as a suicide and a spy at the company was to become the next president in order for us to remain control of it. However, a report came in early this morning that changed everything. Evidently, another man was selected for the position rather than our own employee."

Ah, so that was what was bothering him. Ikuto didn't understand what the big deal was though. It sounded like another simple job to take out this new boss, despite the questions it would raise and all the risks that it contained.

"And?" He drawled.

Kazuomi snarled, though it was not directed at his stepson for once.

"There is…another company. As painful as it is to admit it, they are just as powerful, if not more, than Easter. However, they are nothing like us. They remain clean, pure, and everything innocent even after being in this business for so long. They have their fair share of struggles, however, and not many companies believe them to be threats-and that is a dire mistake. The last thing a man wants to do is face the wrath of people like them. They do not believe in bribes, lies, or anything deceitful; but they do believe in fairness and justice. No matter the situation, it is to be played by the books."

"They have stuck low and stayed out of Easter's affairs so the company never bothered to deal with them. It would be suicide to do so anyways. However, that has changed literally overnight. An employee of theirs also works for Sabachi's company and it was that employee that landed the job we anticipated our spy to obtain."

Kazuomi took a long, deep breath. "And they are not afraid to fight back if we do plan an attack on this employee, especially so soon after Sabachi's death."

"So why did you call me in then?" Ikuto asked. "If there's no one to assassinate, I have no purpose here." He began to stand. "It sounds like a done deal for now."

"Ah," began Kazuomi, making the young assassin stop in his tracks as he glanced over his shoulder curiously. "It _would _be a done deal if we decided to take the simple, clean way out." He smirked. "I think we both know that is not how Easter operates-how _I _operate."

Ikuto slowly sank back into his seat.

"It's too dangerous even for us to make a move on their employee now, but that won't be a concern if his employer is no longer able to look out for him, right?" Kazuomi remarked.

"Old man, are you going to risk your neck to try and take down this super corporation that is evidently more powerful than you can imagine?" Ikuto asked skeptically.

His stepfather smiled coldly. "I do not believe in getting my hands dirty personally, Ikuto; you know that. That's why I have you, remember?" He shook his head. "No, no; I have a new plan. And it involves you…but you'll be doing something a bit different." He gestured towards the yellow envelope as Ikuto raised an eyebrow. "Read it."

Keeping an eye on his old man, Ikuto slowly reached over and opened the envelope, taking out its contents. Documents. Of course.

"Embryo?" He remarked, amused. Was there an egg theme going on in the world or was everybody drunk when they decided to start these corporations? "Head of company…a fair, powerful CEO…" He looked up, having finished reading. "I still fail to see what the plan is if I'm not to kill their employee or them."

Kazuomi still had that cold, sinister look. Though, Ikuto was able to tell the old man was slightly amused as well. "I want you to get involved with Embryo. Learn their secrets and destroy the company from the inside."

"And how do I do that?" Ikuto asked, though he already knew as he continued to look through the envelope's contents. His stepfather stood.

"I don't care how," he replied. "Just do your job."

Ikuto looked up at him. He remained silent.

…

He watched his target for several days, trying to understand and memorize everything about them. His target, he admitted, was not how he had expected them to be.

He expected that anyone from such a pure, innocent, goody-goody company like Embryo would be just that: pure, innocent, a goody-goody. A person who embraced their feelings and won over people's hearts with a simple, little smile…what other expectation was there in that situation?

He expected to find the target's weaknesses and use them to his advantage, maybe just trying to smooth talk his way into the building like a similar job he had done a few years prior. It was another simple job, though with a few extra risks than the usual.

That was he had expected. That was not what he had received.

His target was complex and yet also simple. He couldn't place his finger on it, but it seemed familiar. Perhaps it was a disadvantage of being so closely associated with such a powerful company. He understood that.

However, the target had allies; friends, enemies, admirers. The target did not always seek them out but they always found the target. However, the target showed little to no interest to them…at first glance. It was easy to see that the target craved the attention brought upon them. It was also easy to see that the target was displeased with the kind of attention brought upon them.

Again, the target was complex but also simple at the same time. It was intriguing, Ikuto thought, but he had no use in finding everything about the target. He only needed what was necessary.

After a few more days of stalking, Ikuto decided on the next phase of his plan.

…

**DATE: MONDAY MAY 12, 2014**

**TIME: 900**

**LOCATION: SEIYO HIGH SCHOOL**

**TARGET: ?**

Not being able to wear his comfortable jeans and jacket was irritating but work was work; he had no choice in this kind of situation. He doubted anyone was a fan of the stuffy uniform that was required for everybody. Though they could also not care less since they were as equally stuffy and uptight.

"Class," began the teacher, a clumsy old fool who Ikuto easily identified as Nikaidou Yuu. He was no threat. "Please welcome our newest student, Tsukiyomi Ikuto. He will be joining us from now on."

Many boys gave him disgusted looks that were heavily laced with jealousy and envy. It was easy to see, even for the dumbest of the dumb, that this new student would easily snatch any of their female classmates who they happened to have eyes on. They would not stand a chance with him around, all of them mentally agreed.

Many girls sat up in their seats with raised eyebrows that went along with their greedy expressions and lustful eyes. It was easy to see, even for the dumbest of the dumb, that this new student originated from a wealthy family if his posture and attitude were of any indication. In other words, their families would be pleased if they managed to snatch up this boy and make them their future husband. The other girls don't stand a chance, they all thought.

Ikuto noticed their change and mentally rolled his eyes even as a small smirk crossed his lips. They were all so easy to manipulate and fool. However, even he agreed that being ogled at by girls his own age was far better than women old enough to be his grandmother-that was a mission he chose to forget.

"Ah, Tsukiyomi-san," began Nikaidou. "Would you like to say anything to the class?"

"Where's my seat?" Ikuto asked bluntly.

His voice was deep, rich-it made all the girls sigh and all the boys seethe. Well, a majority of them anyways.

Nikaidou looked taken aback. "Uh, over there in the back next to that person, I suppose, since it's the only available seat here…" He gestured towards the back of the classroom.

Ikuto's smirk grew slightly. Right next to the target. Perfect.

He did not acknowledge the older man as he strode to his seat, ignoring the eyes on him. There was only one pair that mattered and, interestingly enough, they were not anywhere near him. The target was staring out the window with a bored expression.

The target looked fragile, far too breakable…like an embryo. It would be an easy mission, though Ikuto was aware it would take time. He had time.

However, as simple as it all seemed, the young assassin couldn't help but think that this mission would end differently than his stepfather had anticipated. And it would be because of this simple but complex person sitting right next to him.

**TARGET: HINAMORI AMU**

…

**I do not own Shugo Chara!**

**Hello people of the Internet! **

**Thank you for reading my story, first of all! I am not sure where the idea came from but it just blew up at me and…here we are! This is just a prologue though so don't worry; it becomes more exciting soon enough. Also, the title has little meaning to the actual story so don't ask about that. I just needed a title…**

**Secondly, I apologize if you read my other stories and are anticipating a new chapter. I shall get to that soon enough, I promise! There are not enough hours in a day and not enough days in a year!**

**Nothing to say as of right now so please drop a review if you have any comments, which could either be your opinions and advice, or corrections on any mistakes you may have spotted here! Personally, since it's the first chapter of a new story, I would appreciate it if you told me how it seems so far! **

**Thanks, until the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

…

**DATE: SUNDAY MAY 11, 2014**

**TIME: 700**

**LOCATION: WINSTON AVENUE**

**TARGET: HAKINI KANUA**

Hakini Kanua was an arrogant young woman. She was the sole daughter of a very wealthy entrepreneur and another spoiled heiress.

She wasn't an airhead but she wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed either. At the very most, she was average. However, that wasn't good enough for her. She always had to be better than average. Not academically, of course, since she was already beautiful and had no need for brains. Brain power was for ugly people, she reasoned.

She wasn't a threat. She had power and money, but she couldn't care less about what others thought of her. She mostly left people alone and they returned the favor.

However, Kanua had a flaw.

She could hold grudges for the smallest, most trivial matters for the absolute longest time and would get immense pleasure from just simply imagining the wrongdoer's demise. At times, she herself would even be responsible for their downfall. She didn't care who got hurt in the process, as long as she struck her target.

On Sunday evening, she was found dead by the maid with a single bullet to the heart.

…

**DATE: SUNDAY MAY 12, 2014**

**TIME: 900**

**LOCATION: SEIYO HIGH SCHOOL**

"Please welcome our newest student, Tsukiyomi Ikuto," said Nikaidou. "He will be joining us from now on."

Hinamori Amu idly glanced over to the front of the room, where her teacher was introducing the class's newest addition to everybody. She saw the boys glower and the girl drool. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the window.

Just from the way the boy carried himself, Amu could tell that he was cocky and annoying like any other rich boy. She had seen people like him all the time, thanks to her family's business.

Being the daughter of the people who ran the powerful corporation, Embryo, had its advantages, sure, but it wasn't all about smiling pretty and being nice to people you secretly hated. It was a very dangerous game and that kind of life required a façade, a poker face that nobody could crack.

Luckily, Amu had had one since she was a kid. It was born out of her poor people skills, but soon developed into something more like a wall made of steel with the purpose of finding someone who could break it. So far, nobody had. Not even her parents had ever seen her without her mask. So she had very little friends if any. They were usually too intimidated by her cool personality matched with her beauty.

But there was an advantage gained. Being able to read people's emotions and expressions became so much easier when she could identify their façade and call out their bullshit. It was like a fun game sometimes.

That being said, the quick glance Amu had thrown in the new kid's direction told her everything she needed to know. He wasn't any more important than the kid in front of her. He was definitely handsomer than an average guy, she would give him that, but there was nothing else worth noting. He had on a small smirk and that was it.

Suddenly, she was aware of several pairs of eyes on her. Slowly turning around, the seventeen-year-old bombshell noticed the new student sitting in the previously empty seat next to her and the girls were giving her envious looks while the boys all stared at him for the same reason.

"Sensei," whined one girl. "Why does Tsukiyomi-san have to sit next to _Hinamori_?"

"Yeah, why does _he_ get to sit next to Hinamori-san?" A boy chimed in, just as upset.

"It's not fair!"

"Somebody else can sit there!"

Nikaidou sweat-dropped, holding up his hands. "It was the only empty seat available and Himamori-san is the only one without a partner for projects anyway."

"It's Hinamori-san," corrected the pinkette with the tone of somebody who had repeated something for a very long time with little change. "And I never complained about working alone."

"Well, now you don't have to," remarked the new student-Tsukiyomi Ikuto, she remembered was his name-as he smirked slightly at her. It made Amu want to hurl.

She rolled her topaz eyes and flicked a strand of loose hair away as she gave him an unimpressed look. "I will address the matter when it becomes an issue since we're not working on a project now, right, Nikaidou-sensei?" Amu gave her teacher a pointed look.

"R-Right," stammered the ginger-haired man, nervously pushing up his glasses as he quickly turned around towards the board. "S-So today's lesson is…"

Meanwhile, Amu tuned out her classmates' gossip about how cool and amazing she was as she took out her pen and notebook. Mentally, she congratulated herself for not killing anyone; her classmates were far too annoying.

"It's just not fair! Why does the new student have to sit with Hinamori Amu? She's absolutely trash compared to somebody like me! I mean, more so than usual…"

Annoying was an understatement when it came to Yamabuki Saaya. The pencil in Amu's grip nearly snapped in two as she reeled in her emotions. Instead of making a biting remark at the auburn-haired girl, she focused intently on the worksheet in front of her.

"Number six is wrong."

Amu nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned her head slightly and somehow wasn't surprised to find Tsukiyomi Ikuto leaning over desk and staring at her paper.

"Sorry?" She said.

"Number six," repeated the new student. "It's wrong."

"How so?" Amu asked, a bit coolly.

"The actual English translation is 'Mary's book was overdue', not 'Mary's baby was overdue'," replied Ikuto, pointing at the problem. "Your grammar is incorrect in number seven as well."

"Well, thank you," said Amu, using her elbow to push off the unwanted tutor from her desk. "I appreciate your…help, no matter how unnecessary it was, but please mind your own business."

She looked back at her paper, subtly erasing her mistakes as she ignored the envious stares from her female classmates. It wasn't as if she asked for his help!

From that very moment, Amu had a feeling things were going to be different.

…

Music class was the only class Amu and Ikuto didn't share.

It irritated him because it meant his target wasn't in his sight 24/7, but it relieved her because having him in all of her classes made her jumpy. There was something about him that unnerved her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

The reason why they didn't share music class was simply because of the different sections, so to speak. Amu was in chorus while Ikuto was in orchestra, evidently gifted on the violin like she was gifted in singing.

In fact, the only other person who could sing on the same level on her was a timid girl named Utau. Amu didn't know much about the pretty blonde, other than the fact that she didn't speak much with others and lived in a foster house. And because she had been dropped off at the house as a toddler, she had no last name and refused to take one on for whatever reason.

To be honest, Amu never paid much attention to her classmates. She had a closed circle of friends and she didn't even talk with them often since they had such different schedules. However, something about Utau caught her eye that day.

The pinkette walked over to the timid girl and held out a hand, offering a small smile as she did. "Hi, Utau-chan; do you mind if I warm up with you?"

The girl's amethyst eyes widened slightly. "S-Sure thing, Hinamori-san."

"You can call me Amu," replied Amu. "It's only fair since I'm calling you by your first name, you know." Her smile grew just a bit. "And besides, I would like to become your friend."

Utau opened her mouth, stunned, and a light blush appeared on her snow white cheeks as she stammered, "I-I…" Suddenly, her eyes hardened like diamonds and she gave the startled Amu a cold look. "Who made you come over here?"

"N-No one," replied Amu, taken aback by the girl's sudden change.

"Then I never thought you would be so cruel," spat Utau. "Did you think I would be that gullible? That I would really believe the great goddess, Hinamori Amu, would want to befriend somebody like me? Get real. Or, even better, get lost."

Amu was speechless for a second. And then she realized what she had failed to see before about Utau. The blonde wore a mask-a façade-just like many others. She was hurt by the lack of a familiar bond and was afraid of letting other people in as a result. People took advantage of her shyness and played cruel tricks on her, or broke off their friendship just as she got attached. The girl was as layered as Amu herself.

"I…I apologize, Utau," the pinkette said finally. "I did not realize that perhaps I came on too strongly and aroused suspicions. I _do _want to be your friend though, but I understand that you are skeptical. I did not mean to make you so upset. I will not bother you."

She smiled at Utau, whose turn it was to be taken aback, and returned to her original spot.

For the rest of the class, Amu seemed oblivious to the intense look she was getting from those dark amethyst eyes.

…

"A-Alright, class, I have an announcement to make," said Nikaidou, wringing his hands nervously. He was doing everything in his power to avoid looking in Amu's direction and her eyes narrowed. "Ah, the principal has decided to assign this new project to help students meet new people and such…"

Amu was staring at her teacher; she was well aware that those kind of projects required partners, something she had never had due to the uneven number of students in the class but now with Tsukiyomi…

Nikaidou continued, "…and so for one month, you will be staying over at your partner's house as a guest and then you will switch." He cleared his throat, still desperately avoiding Amu's gaze. She was quite the force to be reckoned with when she was angry, and she was obviously pissed now. "Now, with Tsukiyomi here, everybody has a partner so…"

Saaya slammed her palm down on the desk as she leapt from her seat with an outraged expression. "That's not fair! Everybody has a girl-girl or boy-boy partner; Tsukiyomi-kun and Hinamori Amu cannot possibly live in the same house! Isn't that, like, against school regulations for being inappropriate or something, huh, teach?"

Other students cried out in protest as well, though the loudest was the silent protest that came from the pinkette herself. She wasn't saying anything but the look in her eyes told Nikaidou that she would kill him if she could. Actions were better than words, right?

Ikuto, on the other hand, was both surprised and pleased. This certainly made things a lot easier for him. He glanced over at Amu, who was practically seething. She was obviously not pleased with this. Well, that was too bad for her.

"Nikaidou-sensei," he called, his low and husky voice ringing over his classmates' protests. Everybody quieted and turned to him, surprised. Nikaidou looked slightly intimidated as well. "I have no problem with it."

Amu nearly snapped her neck as she whirled around to glare at him while Nikaidou rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, then if Himamori-san has no problem with it either, then I don't have any reason to switch you," he said. "Not that I could, of course, since no matter what, a boy and girl will have to be paired together."

His students had begun to protest but then they realized something important. If Hinamori wasn't paired with Tsukiyomi and the students were paired with someone else, there was a chance one of the boys could get paired with Hinamori and then one of the other girls could get Tsukiyomi.

"Okay, that's fine!"

"Can I get paired with Tsukiyomi-kun?"

"No, me!"

"Tsk, I call being paired with Hinamori-san!"

"No way, dude; I totally call dibs!"

Amu grimaced. The boys were all giving her lecherous look, making her feel highly uncomfortable. She definitely didn't one of them staying in her house, especially with her father around. As much as she hated to admit it, Tsukiyomi really was the better option.

"No."

Her voice was quiet but as always, she was overheard by everyone. They all turned to her.

"Himamori-san?" Nikaidou looked at her, concerned for his own wellbeing.

Amu closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "No, it wouldn't be fair to have everybody switch partners just because of my dislike for Tsukiyomi. I'm fine with him. There's no other option, right?" She opened her eyes. "But that doesn't mean I'm happy about this." She gave her teacher a pointed look, only to receive a nervous chuckle. "And it's _Hinamori_, for goodness sake."

"R-Right," stammered Nikaidou before he cleared his throat. "So it's settled then, okay, everybody? Tomorrow, after school, you will head home with your partner. You can discuss which one of you will be the host first."

He sunk into his seat, still slightly shaken by the pinkette's intense glare. Like he had said before, she was a force to be reckoned with when she was angry.

Amu shook her head, choosing to ignore the envious looks many girls threw her way as well as the lustful ones from the boys. She then became aware of somebody leaning over her desk.

"So, _Amu_, your place or mine?" Ikuto asked suggestively.

Despite her immediate dislike for him, she couldn't help but blush from the way he spoke her name.

"Don't stress on my name like that," hissed the pinkette. "It's weird. Also, I don't recall giving you permission to call me by my first name, Tsukiyomi."

"Fine, fine, whatever, Amu," replied Ikuto, purposely continuing to use her first name simply to provoke her. He smirked at her. "You never answered my question."

"I guess my place," said Amu, sighing. She wondered what her parents were going to say when she told them. Her mother would probably be more or less alright with it. Her father on the other hand…

The bell rang, shaking the pinkette from her thoughts. She looked at the clock in wonder; the day had seemed to drag on from the moment Tsukiyomi Ikuto had stepped into the classroom.

Ikuto pulled back from her desk, still smirking at her. She noticed his slightly smug look and eyed him warily.

"What?" Amu asked, not noticing how everybody was watching the conversation intently.

The blue-haired assassin's smirk grew. "I just can't wait to see your house, Amu. I hope your bed is big enough for the both of us." He paused. "But then again, maybe it's better if it isn't."

Amu's face turned a crimson red as she sputtered gibberish at him, unable to form a proper sentence. Meanwhile, her classmates pretty much exploded. Both the girls and the boys cried out their protests and complaints. Yamabuki Saaya was one of the loudest to express her opinion on the matter, not that that was surprising.

Ikuto continued to smirk, ignoring the mayhem around him and his target as he bid her goodbye with a simple, "later, _Amu_" and left the classroom as swiftly as an assassin could.

…

Amu rubbed her temples later that evening as she sat at the dinner table with the rest of her family.

Her younger sister, fourteen-year-old Ami, was finishing up her story about how she had saved the school play by volunteering to fill in the lead role when the original actress was unable to make it.

Their father, Tsumugu, was nodding his head and showering his youngest daughter with compliments. His wife, Midori, also praised Ami with obvious pride though she wasn't quite as enthusiastic as her overdramatic husband.

Finally, it was Ami who noticed her sister's troubled expression.

"Eh, Onee-chan, is something the matter?" She asked, her golden eyes wide with concern. Their parents looked over at the pinkette.

"Amu?" Midori put down her utensils. "Are you alright? Did something happen at school?"

Amu took a deep breath as she put down her fork. "Yes, actually, but it's nothing major, really. Um…" She wasn't sure how to approach this. "We…we got assigned a new project today. It's to have the students meet new people and find out about their classmates so…well, it's kind of like an exchange problem. We got assigned partners…and well, my partner is supposed to stay here for one month and then I'm going to stay at their place for a month."

"Oh, well, that should be fine," said Midori, blinking. "I have no problem with that. Do you, dear?" Her husband shook his head. "And you, Ami?" She received the same response. "See, we're all fine with it. When is she coming over?"

Amu looked relieved. "Oh, okay; I just thought you should know." And then her panic resurfaced. "Actually, _he's _coming over tomorrow."

"A BOY?!"

The three women at the table all flinched as Tsumugu leaped up with a horrified expression on his face.

"MY LITTLE SPARROW IS BRINGING HOME A BOY?!"

Amu flushed, waving her hands frantically. "No, no! I mean, yes, I am bringing home a boy but it's not as if I picked my partner, Papa! There was a lot of arguing at school because there's an uneven number of boys and girls. Everybody else had the same gender partner and it wouldn't be fair to someone else if I switched, right? Besides, it's not as if we're going to be in the same bed!"

"AMU-CHAN? IN A BED? WITH A BOY?"

Tsumugu looked on the verge of having a heart attack. Ami was giggling into her hand, ignoring the dirty look her sister sent her way. Midori, used to her husband's overdramatic ways, sighed and looked over at her eldest daughter.

"Amu," she began. "Though your father is more vocal about it, I can't say I exactly approve of having a boy stay over here with you. However, there really is nothing to do about it." She said this as she looked over at her husband pointedly. Tsumugu flushed and slowly sat back down. "And we trust you to make good decisions."

Midori smiled and Amu returned it gratefully.

"Thanks, Mama," she said, relaxing in her seat. "If it's any consolation, Papa, I have absolutely no intention doing anything with him."

Tsumugu grumbled under his breath as his family returned to their dinners.

"It's not Amu-chan that I'm worried about…"

…

**I don't own Shugo Chara!**

**Ugh, I'm such a piece of trash. *insert a gif of Death the Kid calling himself worthless after one of his OCD attacks***

**I really am sorry about not updating sooner. School just got in the way and then the finals happened and my brain just about exploded. Now that it's summer, I wish I could I'll update sooner, but I actually have a butt-load of summer assignments to do. **

**I know; school is killer.**

**Anyways, I hope you all liked the chapter; thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it.**

**Don't hesitate to tell me about what you think of the chapter/story, any predictions or suggestions, or any mistakes you spotted!**


	3. Chapter 3

…

**DATE: MONDAY MAY 13, 2014**

**TIME: 300**

**LOCATION: ABANDONED WAREHOUSE**

**TARGET: TACHIBANA KAYATO**

Kayato snarled at his underlings, slapping his gun into his palm repeatedly as he eyed the shriveling cowards in front of him.

"So," he began. "Another failed mission…what do you have to say to that, huh?"

One of the idiotic newbies opened their mouth to reply but he barely had a chance to form a single word before he was shot in the head. The others around him did not flinch but each one of them had several beads of sweat rolling down their faces.

Kayato's eyes flashed dangerously. "Anyone want to finish the sentence for him?" He smirked when nobody answered. It quickly disappeared to be replaced by his disgusted frown. "All I asked was for you to infiltrate a dumb little company and find out how to destroy them. Instead, more than half of my men were killed on the spot by a single person. How pathetic does that make me look?"

His second-in-command cleared his throat, stepping forward.

"With all due respect, sir, you _did_ ask something impossible for these new recruits."

"No exceptions," barked Kayato. "Anyone can take down that hotshot corporation and I'm going to prove it, with or without these useless meat puppets!"

"Is that so?"

Kayato and his men looked up at the large, broken window above them. Nearly everybody paled; they recognized that figure.

"Y-You!" Kayato sputtered fearfully, stepping back.

The figure smirked.

"So you think you can take down _my _corporation, huh? That's pretty bold, Kayato. I didn't think you had the balls to do it." The figure gracefully jumped down and approached the trembling man until their faces were just inches apart. "But, you know, having you stand there while I talk is getting pretty boring. After all, you made me come down here so early in the morning when I could be sleeping…"

Kayato choked on his words as the person in front of him smirked. A chill went down his spine as the knowledge of him not surviving sunk in.

"So let's get right down to it, huh, Kayato?"

A few minutes later, the figure let out a disappointed noise as they stepped over all of the lifeless bodies sprawled out on the ground.

"I was hoping they would put up more of a fight. Makes my job more interesting."

…

**DATE: MONDAY MAY 13, 2014**

**TIME: 800**

**LOCATION: SEIYO HIGH SCHOOL**

Ikuto was woken from his lovely catnap upon having someone drop a large stack of papers on top of his desk. He opened one eye and, as if he was surprised, smirked at Amu. He had beaten her to the classroom, but he had been following her since she left her house.

"Morning, _Amu_," greeted the teenage assassin. He was rewarded with a bright blush from his target. Although he usually remained neutral during his missions, he couldn't help but think she looked pretty cute like that.

"S-Stop saying my name like that," hissed the pinkette, embarrassed. Jeez, this guy was pretty good-looking and all, but so were a bunch of other guys in the school and none of them had ever made her this flustered. He was seriously messing up her reputation of being a cold, heartless bitch. She never cared much for it, but still…

Ikuto opened both his eyes and saw his target deep in thought. He looked down at the stack of papers that had been the reason his much needed catnap was interrupted-he had had an all nighter and was exhausted-and raised an eyebrow.

"'_A List of Rules for a Guest in the Hinamori Household by Hinamori Amu_'?" He read, lifting the ridiculous list up. It was a lot heavier than it looked. "What is this?"

Amu was snapped back into reality by his voice. Damn him and his intoxicating voice. Wait, what? The pinkette shoved that random, forbidden thought away and turned her attention back to him.

"It's exactly what it says it is," she replied, crossing her arms. "I am not letting you into my house without setting some ground rules. That's the first part; the library ran out of ink-and paper-so I have to wait until lunch to print the other four sections."

Ikuto looked amused. "What exactly did I do to make you this paranoid? We just met yesterday." More importantly, how did she have time to make all of this? It was handwritten and then scanned onto the computer, he could see, and then she printed it out too? This girl put a lot of work into something so useless…

Amu raised an eyebrow. "That's exactly my point. I don't know you. You're a total stranger and you're going to live in my house for the next month. I have no idea how you're going to behave so I have to make sure you don't do anything weird, especially to me."

Ikuto began flipping through the list. "Dinner at six in the dining room only; no friends over at all; no wandering around the house without an escort; I can't leave my room after eight pm? What are you, a hostess or my parole officer?"

"For a delinquent, I'm both," replied Amu. "A weird, perverted delinquent."

The seventeen-year-old assassin smirked. "What makes you think I'm a pervert? I haven't done anything to you yet."

"The fact that you said the word 'yet' is proof enough," retorted the pinkette, crossing her arms.

"Himamori-san, please stop flirting with the new student and sit down," said Nikaidou as he entered the classroom, only to trip over his shoelaces and crash to the ground rather ungracefully. "Owie…"

Amu spun around, her face red, as she protested, "I am _not _flirting with him!" After a pause, she added, this time with exasperation, "And it's _Hinamori_!"

Seeing that she was ignored by her teacher, the pinkette huffed and fell back in her seat with a frustrated expression. She rubbed her temples, shaking her head as she ignored Saaya's death glare. It was way too early in the morning to deal with Ikuto _and _the auburn-haired annoyance.

"Eh, you're not?" Nikaidou asked, confused. "Then what were you doing together so close?"

"W-W-W-What does it matter to you?! You're a teacher!"

The ginger haired man shrugged. "I like being involved in my students' lives."

"That's a little too personal!"

"Hinamori-san, please calm down; you're disrupting the class."

"M-Me?!" Amu sputtered, only to freeze. "Did you just use my real name?"

"Did I?" Nikaidou feigned an innocent smile at her. "I always use your proper name, don't I?" He ignored her scoff as he gathered his papers. "Before class starts, I'd like to remind you that today is Day One of your little partner switcheroo. One month from today, you will switch again."

"How could I possibly forget?" Saaya exclaimed. She placed her hand over her forehead and threw her head back dramatically. "It's the day where our precious Tsukiyomi-kun is forced to be in the same building as that Hinamori Amu!"

"We're in the same building now, Yamabuki-san," pointed out Amu, rolling her eyes as she rested her chin on her palm.

Saaya sighed heavily and began speaking slower as if she were speaking to a child. "That is _clearly _different. This is school, not your little dragon liar, Hinamori-san. I certainly wouldn't want to be trapped with such a hideous beast and those stolen jewels of yours."

Amu narrowed her eyes and slowly turned around to face the auburn-haired girl.

"Are you implying something?" She asked acidly.

Saaya smirked. "Not at all, Hinamori-san…all I'm saying is that it's rather odd that your buffoon of a father can manage such a company so successfully. It almost seems like he has some…_outside _help, don't you think?"

"It almost seems like your cheap hair dye is finally affecting your brain, don't you think?" Amu snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously.

Nikaidou cleared his throat, eyeing the girls nervously. They were both out of their seats, glaring at each other, while their classmates looked ready to flee the room. Ikuto was watching the interaction with slight fascination. It seemed that Saaya had touched a sensitive subject; he made a mental note to look into that.

"A-Alright, ladies, that's enough," said Nikaidou, standing between the two girls as they slowly sat back down without breaking eye contact. "Yamabuki-san, I understand that you are still upset with the partner arrangements but please refrain from showing such hostility towards Himamori-san."

"Whatever," muttered the heiress, sinking into her seat as she crossed her arms.

"Alright, now let's begin our lesson."

"Wait a minute," interrupted Saaya as she shot up, causing her classmates to groan. She ignored them, of course. "How come Hinamori-san doesn't get scolded? She was just as much as involved in that as I was!"

"Today, we will be translating our English passages out loud," continued Nikaidou cheerfully, as if the spoiled girl hadn't spoken. "Everybody please open your books to page 87. Ah, Nana-san, why don't you begin reading the first passage?"

Saaya grumbled and sank back into her seat.

The rest of class went on peacefully and soon enough, the day ended.

"Okay, everyone," began Nikaidou. "I know that this project was very sudden but please try to get along. This is a good opportunity for you to understand your classmates better and even if you already know each other, you can always find room to learn new things about the other. Also, you _can _return to your own home but only if, for example, you need to pick up something or if it's an emergency. Please remember that you also need to write a summary and final essay about how this project affected you after the two months. We will also be having a psychologist coming in to help you understand each other better and improve your relationship throughout the project. That's all for now; remember to have fun and keep an open mind!"

The bell rang and his students rushed to get their things together.

Amu sighed as she stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she glanced over at her partner.

"Please tell me you read the rules," she said as he gathered his things.

"I could, but then I would be lying," replied Ikuto, smirking at her exasperated expression as he also stood up. "Amu, don't put me down so easily. I am quite capable of behaving myself."

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe," muttered Amu, turning and striding out of the room. He wasn't that far behind. "I don't live that far; we can get there in about fifteen minutes."

"By car?" Ikuto asked.

Amu glanced over her shoulder. "Why would we travel by car? It's not bad to stretch your legs now and then, you know." She frowned. "Don't tell me you're one of those brats who always rely on others to do everything for them?"

"Of course not," snorted Ikuto. "The old man makes me do everything myself."

"Well, good," replied the pinkette, looking surprisingly pleased by his answer.

By this time, the hallway had gotten crowded and since she wasn't looking forward, somebody crashed into her. She stumbled back and, unable to keep her balance, she prepared herself to hit the ground.

However, Ikuto was still behind her. He grabbed her by her waist and steadied her even as the other person crashed to the ground.

"Easy there, klutz," remarked the assassin, smirking at her.

Amu blushed and slapped his hands away. "Shut up." She turned to the person who had bumped into her. "I wasn't paying attention, sorry. Are you alright?"

The person looked up, ready to fight, when he realized who he had run into. His eyes lit up as he got back on his feet. "N-No, it was my fault, Hinamori-senpai! Please forgive me!"

Amu blinked. "Fine then." She picked up her things. "Come on, Tsukiyomi."

Ikuto, having noticed the younger boy's transformation, raised an eyebrow.

"Does that happen often?" He asked curiously.

"More than you can imagine," replied Amu, sighing as they exited the school building and stood outside the large iron gates. "I mean, how many times has a girl gone from a total bitch to a flirtatious sweetheart in front of you?"

"Hm," he said in response. "What are we doing, standing here?"

"Amu-chan!"

"I'm waiting for them," replied Amu, turning to the direction the voice came from. Ikuto looked up and saw a blur of colors before someone pretty much tackled his pink-haired target.

"Hi, Amu-chan," exclaimed a young girl with light brown hair, hugging the older girl tightly.

"Hi, Yaya," greeted Amu, smiling. She looked up at the others. "Hey, guys." The pinkette turned to her partner. "Tsukiyomi, these are my friends. Guys, this is my partner for a school project."

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto," said the assassin, nodding at the group as if it was the first time he had seen them. Like stated before, Ikuto had done his research on his target. Granted, he hadn't done extensive research on her friends but he didn't think it was necessary.

The young girl who had tackled the pinkette finally pulled away and beamed up at the blue-haired teenager. "I'm Yuiki Yaya; nice to meet you, Ikuto-chi!"

A small blonde looked at him coldly. "Mashiro Rima." She was eyeing him suspiciously and turned to Amu. "Be careful of this guy; something's not right about him."

"Rima, you're suspicious of anyone near Amu," replied a long-haired boy, chuckling as she glared at him. "My name is Fujisaki Nagihiko; pleased to meet your acquaintance, Tsukiyomi-san."

"I'm Sanjo Kairi," introduced a green-haired boy as he pushed up his glasses. "You may know my brother-in-law, Nikaidou Yuu."

"That guy is married?" Ikuto couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.

"We had the same reaction," laughed a young man with bright green eyes. "Hey, the name's Souma Kukai. Nice to meet you, dude."

Ikuto nodded in response and turned to the final member of the group, someone he hadn't bothered to research. A smirk crossed his lips.

"Ah, Tadase," he greeted. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Hotori Tadase glared at him. "Tsukiyomi Ikuto."

Amu's eyes widened. "Eh, Tadase, you know him?"

"Unfortunately," replied the blond. "Amu-chan, may I speak with you?" Before she could answer, he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the group, ignoring her protests.

"I apologize; he's normally not like that," said Nagi, smiling at the blue-haired boy apologetically.

"Don't apologize for others, cross-dresser," muttered Rima.

"It's fine," replied Ikuto, shrugging. He ignored the blonde's comment, though it did made him slightly curious from the way Nagi blushed.

"How do you and Tadase know each other?" Yaya asked curiously.

"Our parents were friends," said Ikuto honestly. His birth parents had been close friends with Tadase's before they had died. "He just never really liked me because I always beat him at games when we were kids. I didn't realize he would such a grudge."

"That's not why I don't like you," growled Tadase as he returned to the group. Amu was rubbing her arm, shooting daggers at the blonde as she muttered under her breath.

"Honestly, Tadase, don't grab a girl so roughly," remarked Ikuto, observing the red marks on the pinkette's skin from when Tadase had dug his fingernails in. "Do you need me to kiss it all better, _Amu_?"

She flushed and smacked his arm. "Don't be an idiot, you pervert." Amu turned to her friends. "I'm sorry but I can't hang out with you guys today. I have to do this project with Tsukiyomi."

"No problem," assured Kukai. "What's the project?"

"We have to stay at each other's houses for a month," replied Ikuto before his partner could get a word in. She glared at him.

"WHAT?" Tadase exploded. "Amu-chan! He's bad luck!"

"It's not like I have a choice, Tadase," snapped Amu. "And why do you care anyways?"

Tadase turned pink and muttered something under his breath as he stormed off. Their friends exchanged shocked looks.

"Well, it doesn't bother us," assured Kairi. "Especially since it's school-related, we can't do anything anyways."

"Thank you, Kairi," replied Amu appreciatively. "So I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Kay-kay," exclaimed Yaya, waving. "Bye-bye, Amu-chan! It was nice meeting you, Ikuto-chi!"

Amu smiled at them before she began walking in the opposite direction, Ikuto following her.

"Interesting bunch," he remarked. "They go to a different school?"

"Yeah, the one across town," replied Amu. "So how do you and Tadase know each other?"

"Childhood friends," replied Ikuto simply.

"Hm," was all the pinkette said as she led him down the road to her house. Ikuto noticed that they were out of the neighborhood and there were only trailer houses surrounding them. They approached the forest in a matter of minutes and he looked at her skeptically.

"Well?" Amu remarked, pushing a tree branch aside as she stepped into the forest. "What are you waiting for?" She disappeared behind the thick trees.

Ikuto stared at her for a few seconds before he shrugged and followed her. It wasn't as if she was going to kill him in there. And even if she tried, he could easily take her down.

The young assassin quickly caught up to her and they walked through the forest for a few minutes before they came across a giant steel fence. It wasn't electrical, from what he could see, but it did tower over them. He could easily get over it, but what about her?

Amu threw her bag over it and grabbed onto the fence. She climbed to the top and then jumped down onto the bright green grass on the other side. She didn't quite land on her feet, but it was rather impressive for someone who didn't have much experience. Then again, if this was how she got home every day like this, she was probably used to doing it.

"Well, come on," said Amu, crossing her arms as she stared at him through the fence. "I don't like you very much, but I figure that even you can jump over a fence, right?"

Ikuto shook his head and smirked at her. "Of course I can," he replied, leaping over the fence and landing next to her gracefully. Instead of looking impressed, like he imagined, she rolled her eyes and picked up her bag.

"Let's go before my dad freaks out and thinks you're murdering me or something," she said. "Worse case scenario, he thinks you had your way with me and now we're going to Vegas to get married."

"You mean we're not?" Ikuto joked and she glared at him. "Does your dad really think like that? I mean, come on, Amu, what am I walking into over there?" He had researched her and her family obviously, but they were just general facts.

Amu sighed and stopped, turning to face him. "I guess I should tell you that much at least, right? My dad, Tsumugu, is very eccentric and protective. For example, he refers to me and my sister as his 'little sparrows' and thinks we should be little girls forever. Although he knows you're coming, he's very wary of guys so he'll probably freak out and hide in the bathroom when he sees you."

"Seriously?" Ikuto interrupted, looking skeptical. "This is the guy who's the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world?"

The pinkette rolled her eyes. "I know; he's like a man-child sometimes, but you'll get used to him. My mom, Midori, is much calmer and a lot more sensible than he is. In all reality, she'd be better suited to be a normal housewife or something. Don't get me wrong; she's wary of you coming over too, but she'll be more normal about it."

Amu began walking again. "And then there's my younger sister, Ami. She's fourteen and kind of a diva. She's sweet and all but she really loves being in the spotlight. She's not worried about you coming over at all. In fact, she'll probably make as many sexual innuendos as humanely possible."

They approached a large, beautiful garden and Ikuto could see a humongous house on the horizon.

"Is…is all of this property yours?" He asked, surprised.

Amu nodded. "Yeah; my family owns at least 200 acres just in Japan." She said this rather nonchalantly, having never really thought about her family's wealth.

Ikuto whistled. "That's pretty impressive." No wonder the old man had been worried about this company. Money was power and the Hinamori family certainly had it.

"I guess," replied Amu. "I never really thought about it."

They approached the house after a bit and Amu dug around her bag for her key. After she found it, she held her hand on the doorknob and gave him a warning look.

"Remember, best behavior," she reminded him.

Ikuto rolled his eyes. "I took those stupid lessons, same as every kid at that damn school, Amu; I can behave myself."

Amu smiled. "Good. Now prepare yourself." She opened the door and grabbed his hand as she led him inside. "I'm home!"

The Hinamori household was enormous and the depth of their wealth was very obvious from all the expensive decorations, but it had a certain feeling to it that made it seem more like an average home. Ikuto imagined that if his parents were still alive, they would probably have a house like this one.

"Amu-chan," greeted a bubbly maid with magenta-colored hair. "How was your day?"

"Fine, thanks, Ran," replied Amu, smiling. "Are my parents home?"

"They're in the study," said Ran. "Is this the boy you were telling me about?"

"Yeah, this is Tsukiyomi Ikuto," said Amu, gesturing to the assassin. "Tsukiyomi, this is my friend and maid, Amulet Ran."

The young woman, who looked only a few years older than them, beamed and shook the teenage boy's hand. Ikuto noted how Amu had identified the woman as a friend first.

"It's nice to meet you," she exclaimed. "Is that your bag? Here, I'll take it to your room so Amu-chan can introduce you to her parents. Oh, and Amu-chan, Su made cookies if you want any."

"Alright, thanks," replied Amu as the woman hurried away. "That was Ran; she and her sisters have been working for my family since their parents died in a fire many years ago." She turned and began walking down one of the many hallways. "Come on; better to get it over with."

Ikuto stuck his hands in his pockets and followed her. Even though he had gotten used to being a semi-obedient, emotionless assassin, he couldn't help the bead of sweat that rolled down the back of his neck. He had been on plenty of missions, but he never had to get this involved and he certainly never had to meet a girl's parents. Well, not under these circumstances at least.

Amu suddenly stopped in front of a set of French doors and she turned to him. Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing his facial expression and a small smirk crossed her lips.

"So, _Tsukiyomi_, you ready to meet my parents?"

…

**I don't own Shugo Chara.**

**Okay, so yeah…it's a slow progress, but the action will start soon! Well, not too soon since it's still the very beginning but you know what I mean…**

**Anyways…thanks for all the reviews! I actually have little to say right now, surprisingly, so…I know, that's a BIG shock for anyone who knows me…**

**Oh! And before you ask or complain, Tadase will NOT be the main antagonist in this story! Yeah, he came off sort of bratty and rude but we all saw how badly he acted towards Ikuto before the truth came out. So Tadase isn't the bad guy for once in my story. He's more of a side character/love rival, I guess…**

**Anyhow…don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts or if you found any mistakes!**


	4. Note 1

_He had never once hesitated to kill his targets but...this was a first for him. He had never gotten attached to them. He shakily lifted his dagger and looked directly into her eyes. "I...I'm sorry it has to be this way..."_

"Okay, no, no, enough," muttered the Boss, shaking her head. "Amu, Ikuto...you guys are doing great...I just...ugh...someone give me an aspirain and leave me alone."

"Want to go on air?" RD asked gently, giving his boss a sympathetic look.

"...yes, please..."

**Hey my dear readers. I'm going to make this short and sweet.**

**I have writer's block and school is annoying as hell. I know I haven't updated in a while and I apologize but you know...life sucks.**

**I'll try to update when I can so the story doesn't feel bland and rushed, but you guys have to be patient with me. I'm only human. **

**This story is far from over, don't worry. I hope you guys have lovely holidays if I don't update by Christmas, and thank you for being patient with me!**


	5. Note 2

**I'm going to get straight to the point, because I just wrote a long exaggerated note for Seamstress and the Prince: (if you have already read my note from Forgotten Joker, you can skip the note and go straight to the unfinished chapter since I just copy and pasted it - the note, I mean)**

**There are lots of errors in this story. I do not know if I can fix them in future chapters. I want to rewrite it, but I know I never will, especially with this being my final year of high school, and college rapidly approaching. I am sorry it has to be like this, and I really wish I could give you guys the story you deserve. Until I am able to do that, please take the unfinished chapter I had for this story:**

**…**

**Previously: Ikuto is assigned his next target, Hinamori Amu, who is forced to spend two months with him for a school project, and is about to meet her parents.**

**…**

**DATE: MONDAY MAY 13 2014**

**TIME: 1400**

**LOCATION: HINAMORI HOUSEHOLD**

Ikuto cleared his throat as Amu gave him an amused look, having noticed his nervousness of meeting her parents, and opened the doors to the study.

"Mama, Papa, I'm home," she announced. "I want you to meet my partner for this project, Tsukiyomi Ikuto. Papa, don't cry and hide in the bathroom again, please."

_Again_? Ikuto couldn't but be a bit baffled as he spotted the parents of his current target.

"Ah, hello, Ikuto-kun," greeted Midori, smiling as she shook his head. "Welcome to our home." She looked over at her husband. "Dear, don't you want to say something to our daughter's guest?"

"Take good care of my daughter," said Tsumugu tearfully, clasping the assassin's hands tightly. "Make sure your own sparrows don't leave the nest too early."

Amu slapped her forehead, muttering something under her breath. Midori sighed, shaking her head. Ikuto stared at the man that was supposedly the head of the largest company in the world.

A few seconds passed before Ikuto recomposed himself and smiled politely at the odd, odd man.

"I believe there is a misunderstanding here, sir," he said finally. "I am not dating your daughter; we just met the other day. She is merely being a good sport about a poor arrangement."

Ikuto then turned to Midori and bowed slightly. "Thank you for allowing me to stay here; I know it must be awkward for a stranger like me to share your household, especially since your daughter and I are close in age."

Midori returned his smile. "Ah, what a gentleman; I admit we weren't comfortable with you staying here initially, but I see that you are a nice young man."

Behind her, Amu threw up her hands and gave her mother an unseen look.

Midori had an idea of what her daughter was doing, but ignored her. "Have you seen your room yet? Amu, be a dear and show him where his room is."

"Yes, Mama," said Amu, taking a deep breath as she ignored her father's cries of anguish from the floor and dragged Ikuto out of the room. "How did you get my mother to fall in love with an asshole like you in less than five minutes?"

"It's a gift," remarked Ikuto, smirking. "Why, you jealous?"

"Please, don't make me gag."

Amu led the blue-haired boy through a maze of hallways that would be impossible to memorize if one wasn't used to them, or wasn't paying attention. Finally, she arrived at a large door and pushed her way inside.

The room was grand but fairly simple. Much like the rest of the house, it definitely displayed the Hinamori family's wealth yet maintained a modest aura.

"Is it to your liking, Your Highness?" Amu asked, huffing as she crossed her arms.

Ikuto smirked at her. "Very much so, My Lady."

Amu rolled her eyes at the title. "Nothing fazes you, does it?"

She turned on her heel, looking back at him over her shoulder.

"Dinner is in an hour – if you need anything, ring the bell next to the door. Other than that, there's no reason to call me, got it?"

Amu quickly shut the door behind her, leaving the teenage assassin alone at last.

Once she was gone, Ikuto's playful smirk vanished and he looked around the room carefully, taking in everything.

**...**

**I...had a lot less going for this story than the others.**** Again, I apologize for this and I hope you all will understand.**


End file.
